An indigene of Ovu in Ethiope-East local government area of Delta state, Mr. Vincent E. Aki (Mc Aproko) has accused the chairman of his local government area, Mr Austine Ogedegbe of threatening his life after he shared a video of him speaking about the deplorable state of a road his community.
Recall that the aggrieved man had over the weekend shared a video in which he decried the deplorable state of a road in his community. He stated that with the autonomy given to local government chairmen they have so much money at their disposal to execute projects
He argued that at a time members of a social organization, Ovu United contributed money to repair the road, stressing that if ordinary Ovu United can do such a job what is the local government chairman with huge allocation doing?
‘’What is he doing? What is he using the Federal government allocation to do? He should tell us. What is he using it for? If we have Ovu son as local government chairman and the community is in bad situation, what will happened if a man from another community becomes the Chairman?
“The incumbent local government chairman is the most buoyant local government chairman we have ever produced because he is receiving allocation from the Federal government. If he uses 0.01% of the allocation that is coming to Ethiope-East local government, it is enough to tar the entire dilapidated roads. What is he doing? He is incompetent! He is not capable! He should step aside let somebody that is capable do the work,.!” he stated, just as he added that paying of salaries or allowances to staff is not an achievement.
He later shared another video in which he accused the local government chairman of threatening his life over the video. He cried out that if anything happened to him, they should hold the local government chairman responsible.
Hear him, “Nigerians, Delta state, Ovu community my life is under threat. Ethiope-East local government chairman just came to my place to warn my wife and my children that I should drop the video hence he will deal with me. What I did is my legitimate right. I have the right to express my feeling. I am not satisfied with the administration. I am advocating for the right to good governance.
“They came to threaten my life. Since I did those video, I have not slept in my house. I have not change my clothes. My life is under threat. I am putting this video here for the entire world, for Nigerians to know that I am calling for good governance. If anything happens to me, hold Ethiope-East local government responsible. If anything happens to me, hold Nigeria responsible. If anything happen to me, hold Delta state government responsible. If anything happens to me Ovu community can testify. My name is Aproko.”
When contacted Ehiope-East local government chairman, Augustine Ogedegbe denied the alleged threat to life of Mr. Vincent E. Aki (Mc Aproko).
A statement that emanated from the Press Unit Office of the Executive Chairman office of Ethiope East Local Government Council made available to Urhobotoday via WhatsApp message disclosed that Hon. Chief Augustine Ogedegbe JP, has officially responded to recent allegations circulating in the media, accusing him of threatening the life of Mr. Vincent E. Aki, also known as Aproko.
“In a statement released earlier today, the council chairman categorically denied these claims, calling them “false, malicious, and part of a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image.” According to the statement, the allegations are baseless attacks on the integrity of His administration, which has maintained transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the needs of the people.
“Hon. Ogedegbe, a staunch advocate for democratic ideals, affirmed his commitment to the freedom of speech and the right of citizens to express their opinions, even when critical of government policies.
“The chairman emphasized that while his administration values constructive criticism, it will not tolerate deliberate falsehoods or attempts to blackmail or intimidate the government.
“We urge the public to disregard these baseless claims and focus on responsible journalism that fosters unity and progress,” the statement read.
The statement which said they will not allow smear campaigns to distract them from their mission of serving the people, disclosed,” The matter has been referred to Hon. Ogedegbe’s legal team for thorough investigation, with hopes that the truth will prevail and justice will be served. As the investigation unfolds, the chairman remains committed to its mandate, reaffirming its dedication to building a transparent and accountable government for the people of Ethiope East.”